


Cautious

by vausiliatrice



Category: A Quiet Place (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ambitious plot bunny, American Sign Language, BAMF!Abbotts, Bc their BAMF!survival skills kick in, But it's okay, Canon derailment, Character Deaths, Fix-It, Gen, I mean Lee and Beau is alive dammit, Krasinski and his kid is alive, Lee's plan goes horribly wrong, Paranoid!Abbotts actually, Paranoid!Lee, Post-Apocalypse, Pre-movie backstory, Single-point departure fic, Spoilers, genfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 07:31:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14397261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vausiliatrice/pseuds/vausiliatrice
Summary: After one close encounter, Lee realized that knowing isn’t enough. The couple saw the monsters, but the children only knew from what they’re told. They needed to see, because if there are worse things than making a noise, it’s getting complacent. And the sight of it may frighten the kids, may leave them anxious or broken, but it may also keep them alive.A story of where fear drives a paranoiac family, from survival and beyond.





	Cautious

**Author's Note:**

> ‘Regular font, Single Quotes’ – Thoughts  
> “Regular font, Double Quotes” – Verbal Speech  
>  _“Italics”_ – American Sign Language  
>  **“Bold”** – Both American Sign Language and Verbal Speech

DAY 30-58

 

Lee Abbott was once the head of a disaster risk management agency located somewhere in Southeast Asia. His agency dealt with calamities like typhoons, floods, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes, so he knew the drill when it came to risk management. In fact, it was probably only due to his training there that he and his family managed to survive this long. It was for him that the Abbotts agreed that they and the interior of their household is to be stripped to its bare minimum. They had to be practical and able to mitigate risks of making any sound.

 

Lee decided that if they were going to be in this lifestyle of being quiet, then most routine, equipment, and furniture was going to have to disappear. Some things would soon enough either break due to wear and tear or drop due to being careless, and it’s the family who would suffer for it. Thus, gone were things like jars, trinkets, glass, mirror, and figurines. Gone too were majority of their furniture and electronic devices. Luxuries like taking a bath and playing games like monopoly also went away. Simple things like eating, defecating, urinating, farting, sneezing, sleeping, washing laundry, and many more were all done in a custom-made, soundproofed, underground room. They knew the room masked small sounds, but Lee didn’t want to experiment making any louder sound to try if it was that effective.

 

Lee had also demanded from the two females of their family, his wife Evelyn and his daughter Regan, to dispose of their flowy clothes, and only wear things that clung tight to skin. From his two little boys, Lee demanded that they forego their toys like beeping plane toys, Xbox, and Nintendo. It was a grueling task trying to convince his two little boys, but they soon agreed when Lee drew a picture of a monster that haunt them, complete with graphic retelling of how the monsters haunt people, although it did leave them spooked.

 

Lee went into the task of checking the house by ensuring proper roofing and flooring, so that no nail could snag articles of clothing, or no water would drip from the roof during rain. The floor was varnished and then covered with carpet. The roof was secured with super glue and loose parts were tightened and re-tightened with ropes, because hammering with nail will require making loud sound they could do without.

 

What was left of their lives is a routine that the two youngest, Marcus and Beau, didn’t like. There weren’t much else to do except laze around. But that’s just where Evelyn came in, who was once a yoga practitioner. She introduced the entire family into meditation. As their routine left something to be desired, the Abbotts allotted a few minutes every day into meditation, and then yoga after that, and this had the benefit of compartmentalizing emotions, so that when Marcus slipped and dropped on his bottom, Lee immediately grabbed him and covered the boy’s mouth just as an unmistakable loud noise stalked near their corridors. Evelyn, Regan, and Beau was in the other room. All of them schooled their terror in silence as the monster kept getting closer. The monster’s uniquely ringing sound reverberated throughout the house, its footfalls heavy and armored. From afar, the creature may not hear small sounds like a small tap on the shoulder, but this close, Lee wondered if it could hear the collective, fast heartbeats of their family, and he waited with bated breath when suddenly, it disappeared. It must’ve heard a sound somewhere else, and Lee didn’t want to think what that means.

 

In the aftermath, Lee realized they’ve been far too complacent. He only thought of preventing any sound, not how to deal with the monster when it was actually there. Thus, Lee built a Christmas lighting system that encompassed their entire house, inside and outside, with remotes held by the five of them, so that whenever any one of them detected danger, it would alert the others by turning the lights red. Lee also collected every weapon that he could find and instructed his family to bring at least one if they went outside, not that he thinks it would help much. He also redoubled his effort in looking for help, sending SOS signal in Morse code across several places by means of a radio transmitter. Their food and medicine were soon running out, and his family would have to forage for themselves in order to survive. His research into finding a high enough frequency sound to stun the monsters were also left in the back-burner as he busied himself with re-securing the house.

 

But this was not all. The two adults of the family, Lee and Evelyn, moved quietly like it was second nature to them. They understood perhaps subconsciously the consequence of making a sound. The three children, however, didn’t. They moved as they were told, but they had to be constantly reminded to watch their footsteps, to grip their things mindfully so it won’t fall, to be alert for any unexpected noise that they’d hear, to always watch Regan’s back because if there were any noise, and no one was there to warn Regan, she wouldn’t know the monster is near before it was too late. Regan was deaf, after all.

 

The monsters scared Lee shitless, but that didn’t terrify Lee as much as what they would do to his family if any of them slipped. Lee wanted his family to be extra careful, to be cautious, he wanted them to live as he did – in paranoia, if possible.

 

And it is with this singular determination that Lee decided what to do next.

 

* * *

 

DAY 67

 

At ten pm, the Abbott couple sat cross-legged across each other. Frantic hand gestures were exchanged. If the situation weren't so dire, Lee and Evelyn would look comical, but the topic of conversation begs to differ.

 

_"They have to see. I have to make them really fear them so they don’t grow careless."_

 

_"You are attracting unnecessary risk."_

 

_"Risks that we would have sooner than later because of them."_

 

_"Doesn't mean you have to make it sooner than that."_

 

Tears in her eyes, Evelyn's face broke in fear and frustration towards her husband. They had been at this for a few days now. But even in heated debates both learned to be extra cautious lest their frustration be their undoing, so Evelyn raised her right hand to indicate a pause. Lee nodded. A few minutes passed in silence with both Abbotts looking at each other's eyes. Then Evelyn began.

 

_"My dear, you are so determined to see this through. But I am just as persistent in not letting you do this. You and I saw how those monsters ripped apart people like they were clay. Doing this puts our family in grave danger - danger that we could do without. I know you’ve been trying to work out their weaknesses but as you have nothing concrete yet, it’s dangerous to rely on just that. They are children, yes, but that just means we have to constantly remind them of the danger we’re living, not bring it to them, for God’s sake Lee!”_

 

_"Love, just please listen to me carefully on this. Our children are in far greater danger to us right now than what I’m about to do. They only know the importance of keeping silent from what we told them, but they are children still and sooner or later they'll slip, either from being complacent or careless. We can't afford to coddle them. But if you're worried about those monsters, then I have everything planned out. Just listen to my plan before even outright refusing it. I've planned out safety nets and contingencies for contingencies for contingencies you'd be hard-pressed to follow the sequence of referrals..."_

 

A few minutes of discussion and the Abbott matriarch was bought with the idea, however hesitant she was, and was soon adding her own two cents.

 

* * *

 

DAY 72

 

The family of five were trekking along a carefully laid out white sand pathway across a forest, meticulously denuded by Lee for several days so that branches, twigs, and shrubs wouldn’t snag any clothing, backpack, or feet. Lee was on the very back, carrying his kid Beau, whereas on his front was his deaf but well-behaved daughter Regan, and then his wife, Evelyn, carrying their youngest boy Marcus, on the front most.

 

This formation was strategic and this was very good in Lee’s book. For example, this allowed Lee to see his daughter, who is limited only to inputs in sight. Carrying the two boys was also a plus, because both were playful, unruly and didn’t yet seem to understand the gravity of their situation. And finally, his wife as leading in front, because while both had a few disagreements here and there, Lee could fully trust in his wife’s ability to be alert and cautious as well as, if not more, than him.

 

They walked like that for six-and-a-half hours. It was tiring because two months had apparently not been enough to get used to this routine of travelling long distance by foot. Finally, their destination was in sight as the sounds of rushing water became loud and clear. Waterfall converged on a brook and hid a cavern underneath it. Walking while feet were submerged underwater towards the cavern, the kids once expressed worry on making small noises, but was soon calmed by Evelyn that it was okay. Once inside the cavern, they unpacked their backpack, and soon ate their lunch. After which, Lee gathered his kids to talk.

 

_“Your mom told you earlier that it was okay to make small noises, because the sound of moving water at the river masks those, right? Well, in this cavern, the sound of waterfall is so loud it masks moderately loud voices. That means we can actually talk in here, so I’m now going to speak and I want you to do the same. Okay?”_

 

The three children’s eyes boggled at this, for so long they had been forbidden to make any significant noise even inside the soundproof room, but they nodded consent. Lee still needed to make sign language to Regan, but at least now their discussion will be unhindered and any unexpected outburst will be covered.

 

It was a testament to how young and naïve the two boys are that they easily agreed, now that their freedom of sound was given back temporarily. At first, they hushed, whispered among themselves, and then giggled. Endeared at this scene, Lee, Evelyn, and Regan smiled good-naturedly. Lee looked at Regan and said to her.

 

**“Regan, I’m sorry, but as you cannot yet hear how loud your voice is, we can’t allow you to make a sound, okay?”**

 

_“Of course, Dad.”_

 

Evelyn hugged her daughter. Evelyn’s eyes met Lee’s and both nodded.

 

It was time.

 

Lee coughed to gather attention and began to talk.

“ **Guys, I want you to know that every time we’re going to have a very serious talk, it’s going to be in this cavern, and this time I’m going to talk about something important.”**

 

**“Regan, Marcus, Beau, a few days from now, we’re going to see the monsters that we’re being quiet for. I want to warn you now, that no matter how terrifying what you see is, you won’t make a sound. That means no whimpering, screaming, gasping, shouting, or anything of the sort. Otherwise, they’ll hear you, and then they’ll kill you. This is very important for all of you, so that you have a firm grasp on the kind of danger we are skirting every day, and for you to appreciate how much we try to hide our sound.”**

Marcus was suddenly shivering and his eyes wide in terror and understanding, and approaching hyperventilation that Evelyn had to step in, hug the poor boy while whispering soothing words. Regan also offered comfort by rubbing his back. Among the three children, Marcus was the most terrorized from that encounter a few days before.

 

Meanwhile, Lee was observing his other boy. Beau looked shock and didn’t look worse for wear, maybe slightly jittering, almost excited even. Lee had to hand it to him.

 

If there was anyone in this family who was a great threat to breaking the rule of silence, it was this boy, and Lee shouldn’t really be imposing high standards to his toddler, but as the old adage goes, desperate times call for desperate measure.

 

All he asked was for his children to be extra mindful, extra mature, extra careful, never complacent, since doing otherwise could endanger the entire family. But he didn’t think he could do that just by telling them. Only by showing them would they truly understand.

 

**“Kids, in our area, there are at least three of those monsters lurking. I’ve designated an area where we can safely observe them. We’re going to attract their attention by sounding a remote-controlled alarm relatively far from our vantage point. But don’t let the distance fool you, because these monsters are smart and can cover the distance very fast if you so much as sneezed, okay? Now, I need your help in preparing the place, and here’s what we’re going to do…”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recently watched the movie with my friends and wow, it was fantastic. Anyway, about this fic, it's sort of exposition-y, which isn't my usual style though it fits somehow. This is also the first fic I've written in a long while, so I might be out of groove. Tell me what you think in a comment below.


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